tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263427872011-10-16T18:16:24.868-04:00The musings of a young man.crossn81noreply@blogger.comBlogger4161100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-5112814057602258742008-11-14T15:21:00.002-05:002008-11-14T15:25:06.726-05:00

If everything goes well this blog will have a new home on Monday morning!!!For a lot of reasons I am shifting Crossinator over to a Wordpress self-hosted site. Wordpress gives me a lot more flexibility and options and will hopefully lead to some more great content and thoughts.This should be a seamless process and shouldn't miss any content or see anything except a new spiffy site!The new site's

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-14680537314262086992008-11-13T22:00:00.003-05:002008-11-13T22:04:04.209-05:00

This always makes me laugh when I see it on my Discover Card statement.You see... The Hub Bike Co-op is a bike shop here in Minneapolis. I'm not sure why I would ever need flight insurance on my purchases there... but who knows! Anyway, just wanted to share my laughs with you!

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-76300401962661254832008-11-10T21:50:00.004-05:002008-11-10T22:32:32.047-05:00

RefugeeThat word conjures up a lot of different thoughts and feeling for different people.Some say Jesus was a refugee, others think refugees are just another group of immigrants taking over our country. But to me, refugees are neighbors - both in a literal and figurative sense. We live in the most diverse neighborhood in Minneapolis. Minneapolis is home to the largest Somali population in the

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-32081682588900660022008-11-10T05:15:00.000-05:002008-11-10T05:15:00.200-05:00

I got this in an e-mail from a psychologist at work. Some of the stuff could be a lifestyle decision and isn't necessarily about living in poverty, but I think the point is overwhelmingly made.Being poor is knowing exactly how much everything costs.Being poor is getting angry at your kids for asking for all the crap they see on TV.Being poor is having to keep buying $800 cars because they're

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-25409173627468802672008-11-06T19:46:00.002-05:002008-11-06T22:05:22.885-05:00

Well election euphoria is still rampant here in Minneapolis. People were dancing in the streets, setting off fireworks, and more Tuesday night. I'm not going to discuss politics today but more post my thoughts of working in a school that hosted a polling site.A lot more went into this than I expected. A few of us (including the principal) had a meeting to talk about logistics of the day. We had

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-16961014615433378122008-11-04T01:14:00.000-05:002008-11-04T01:14:00.486-05:00

Go VOTE! Here are two songs for you:Savior on Capitol Hill, Derek WebbI'm so tired of these mortal men with their hands on their wallets and their hearts full of sin scared of their enemies, scared of their friends and always running for re-election so come to DC if it be thy will because we’ve never had a savior on Capitol Hillyou can always trust the devil or a politicianto be the devil or a

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-47659790671821268422008-11-03T06:26:00.000-05:002008-11-03T12:08:31.129-05:00

This recent post at The Moderate Voice easily summed up my thinking during this election season. A conservative friend who I trust and respect asked me to share with him some of my thoughts about why I'm a moderate. So here is my response:I think I'm moderate about a variety of issues, but also moderate in that on some issues I'm conservative while others I may be a bit more liberal. In theory

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-36384163688764263462008-10-27T06:39:00.000-04:002008-10-27T06:39:00.225-04:00

We recently went camping in Bayfield Wisconsin. We had a great time and were pleased that it wasn't too cold and that lots of leaves were still on the trees. Our camp site was nestled right next to Lake Superior with a sweet view of Basswood Island. One day was spent wandering around a bunch of apple orchards, testing a wide variety of apple flavors and even picking a bag of our own. Our

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-86076209201576464322008-10-24T04:45:00.000-04:002008-10-24T04:45:00.211-04:00

I can't say how thankful I am for everyone of you who supported me through the marathon and especially through my fundraising efforts for Team World Vision. It was a humbling honor to run on behalf of my African friends and to share their stories with you over the last months.It really has been fun to combine two of my passions into such a powerful event. Thank you! I am excited to announce

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-52150733906130559352008-10-17T05:42:00.000-04:002008-10-17T05:42:00.298-04:00

On Weds I wrote about Blog Action Day and some ways that Christy and I are working to end poverty. I was really happy to see that over 20 of the blogs I read on a regular basis posted something for Blog Action Day. So below is a list of their posts:Dumb Little Man: The Poverty Myth The Simple Marriage Project: PovertyHomeward Bound: Loving Neighbors 7000 Miles AwayPortland Trail Runner:

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-50565185423914819502008-10-15T12:47:00.002-04:002008-10-15T14:07:00.938-04:00

If you didn't know today is Blog Action Day around the world!!!Thousands of bloggers are writing about poverty today and offering radical ways to end poverty. It is an interesting idea and has produced some great posts. My BAD post is simply a wrap-up to the Team World Vision fundraising!! I am so super excited that my family and friends were willing to donate over $2,100 towards World Vision

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-41154770348077816022008-10-13T04:04:00.000-04:002008-10-13T04:04:00.748-04:00

It has been almost a week since I finished my first marathon!!! Yes I made it the entire 26.2 miles!It was quite an adventure as the rain pelted down on us for at least 4-5 miles of the race. But it was very thrilling to reach the finish line and to know that I had accomplished such a large feat. My finish time was 3:25. My Dad asked, "What does that mean? Is that fast, slow, really fast or

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-32381670458084010142008-10-06T21:59:00.001-04:002008-10-06T22:01:26.440-04:00

I haven't had a chance to write up the entire marathon report. But here are my initial thoughts:I just woke up from a short nap following the marathon debut. It was a cool pretty much perfect start at 8am that turned miserable with a deluge of rain for 4-5 miles starting around 7. I hit the wall shortly after 20 and finished in 3:25. I finished and am now a marathoner!! I'll have a more

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-59665981134079947712008-10-01T09:55:00.000-04:002008-10-01T22:14:56.544-04:00

Each month seems to fly by. It is hard to believe that it is already October and fall is here!In case you missed it, my marathon is coming up Oct 5, that is a few short days away. Training is going well and I'm pretty much set. You can see all the training details and running related stuff at Team Cross Runs. You also still have a chance to make a donation on my behalf for World Vision. You

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-19322654067249665932008-09-25T05:49:00.000-04:002008-09-25T05:49:00.203-04:00

Somalia: A Testimony For Wednesday 24 September, Ramadan 2008. "Loving Muslims Through Prayer"Libaan spent years outside of Somalia in several different countries. Eventually, he received a portion from the Injil (Gospel). He was impressed by what he read. The text was beautiful with a deep message. After two more years he fully believed the message and entrusted his life to Isa Al Masih (Jesus

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-9884451593021414482008-09-23T03:59:00.000-04:002008-09-23T03:59:00.386-04:00

This comes from the 30 Days group which offers a prayer guide for the month of Ramadan:Somalia: Hard realities for Muslim men and familiesFor Tuesday 23 September, Ramadan 2008. "Loving Muslims Through Prayer"Total Somali population: 9,119,000 (July 2007 est.)Some men have found a way to escape from the harsh realities of Somali life. Khat (Catha Edulis) is an evergreen shrub that grows in the

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-60937972259034949312008-09-17T05:09:00.000-04:002008-09-17T08:21:50.642-04:00

Greetings on a nice fall day!Oh, its not fall yet where you are? Well we've only had a handful of days that have reached 70 degrees in the last few weeks. Yes this is one of the advantages of moving farther north. Yet it does signal that winter may be fast approaching - but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves.We survived our first summer in Minneapolis and it was a lot easier than the

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-2934288080250959282008-09-15T08:23:00.000-04:002008-09-15T08:23:00.226-04:00

In this heated election season it is important that all Christ followers act in accordance with Scripture and love everyone for who they are. As a unique creation of God, each person holds the image of God within them. Everyone from the most right-wing to the most left, black, white, elite, poor, old, and young should be treated with dignity and respect.With that said, each of us will make the

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-10037379761027218502008-09-10T05:31:00.000-04:002008-09-10T08:53:00.156-04:00

Sarah Palin and Rudy Giuliani both mocked Barack Obama's career as a community organizer. Palin made the most blatant mockery of the profession by comparing her experience as mayor to his as an organizer by saying "a small-town mayor is sort of like a community organizer, except that you have actual responsibilities."As I've thought about the comments they have made me a little upset, in some

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-71006109802624586432008-09-08T21:23:00.000-04:002008-09-10T08:53:25.796-04:00

On Sept 3 we decided that we would risk going to St Paul to take part in a peaceful rally to raise awareness about the ongoing Genocide in Darfur. The event combined the national organization Camp Darfur with several local groups. The host organization, Minnesota Interfaith Darfur Coalition (MIDC) estimated around 200 people attended.Camp Darfur is:An interactive awareness and education event

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-76918351890369895212008-09-03T22:02:00.004-04:002008-09-08T13:21:17.824-04:00

Laura Bush SpeakingIn case you missed it the Republican National Convention was in my new town this week. Before you click away, this isn't really about the RNC. Only partly. We did our part and let a sister-in-law of a friend spend the night with us - always glad to be gracious hosts! My penchant for politics made me want to be involved someone, but Christy said if I volunteered, she would go

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-53603749707855865342008-09-02T13:32:00.002-04:002008-09-02T13:36:44.741-04:00

Today is the first day for our students to be back in session. The day started pretty well as many students arrived early. So far things seem to be going pretty well as the first day quirks are getting worked out.Since I worked all summer it has been interesting to go through the transitions of the last few weeks. Only 3 weeks ago every was very quiet and relaxed. Then the teachers came back

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-17281750473862539892008-08-27T10:50:00.000-04:002008-08-27T22:58:36.006-04:00

This year I have decided to join in the Blog Action Day 2008. The main reason is that the plan for this year is to blog about poverty, or taking action against poverty. If you've been following my journey for very long you are probably aware that I believe we need to end poverty - sooner rather than later. So on October 15 I will be joining thousands of other bloggers in posting about the

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-11904506548811482332008-08-25T06:00:00.000-04:002008-08-25T16:15:53.991-04:00

This is a powerful video. Elite athlete Josh Cox is speaking to First Assembly Church in Maryland. The runner is Ryan Hall of Olympic Marathon fame. What do you think about what Cox has to say?

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-9613312968467251412008-08-22T03:18:00.001-04:002008-08-22T03:18:00.952-04:00

Awhile back I wrote a list of links that we had e-mailed to my in-laws so they could pick out some places to visit on their recent week here in the Twin Cities. Around the same time Bible Money Matters wrote a post about frugal things to do in the Metro-area. Our lists had a lot of overlap.You may know that the Republican National Convention is being held in St Paul, so naturally there is a lot

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-80379321299556462722008-08-20T08:55:00.000-04:002008-08-20T10:47:09.445-04:00

It has been several weeks since I posted an update about my running. I am now almost over 25% towards my goal of raising money for World Vision. I've also completed my first 20 mile run - ever!! I've also done some races recently so it has been quite busy in the running realm.Week 9, Week 10, and most recently Week 11 of marathon training. I raced a 10K (6.2 miles) around beautiful Lake

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-91551100144164256072008-08-18T07:03:00.000-04:002008-08-18T07:03:01.048-04:00

The Sudanese Government in the midst of committing genocide in their Western Province of Darfur had this to say about the recent Russian incursion into Georgia: August 15, 2008 (KHARTOUM) –The Sudanese National Assembly lent its support Moscow in its clash with Georgia over the border region of South Ossetia. The Sudanese legislative body described the Russian response as “legitimate” and

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-74283858321368219962008-08-15T04:30:00.000-04:002008-08-15T10:05:25.789-04:00

House, aka Hugh Laurie plays a funny song on SNL

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-3568880804417334152008-08-13T05:34:00.000-04:002008-08-13T05:34:00.997-04:00

The headline may be a little misleading, but now that you are here lets look at the facts. If you pull out statistics for only Black American's they have a AIDS prevalence rate that would rank 16th in the world. This according to the Black AIDS Institute and reported in New York Times.That is a little scary - WE ARE THE RICHEST NATION IN THE WORLD - how can something like this still be going on

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-44661194328298893792008-08-11T09:30:00.000-04:002008-08-11T09:30:01.453-04:00

Somali is mostly a land of lawlessness right now, so it sadly isn't too surprising to see reports of violence and bloodshed. It would be easy to miss the death of a Christian there because killing Christians is fairly common and deaths are occurring all the time.It is a little interesting that this news report caught my eye, maybe I've just been missing them or maybe this is the first one

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-72692455257316540592008-08-08T04:41:00.000-04:002008-08-08T04:41:15.509-04:00

The month of August is dedicated to praying for Somali women while the entire year of 2008 is dedicated to praying for Somalia.There is some good information at the YOPS site. Somalia is one of many developing countries that still practices Female Genital Mutilation. In addition to the FGM, Somalia is a traditional Muslim country. With that tends comes a lot of oppression towards women.It is

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-66211109535190353022008-08-02T13:02:00.004-04:002008-08-06T12:04:48.897-04:00

Here is an interesting video about the biases of the media. Not in the traditional line of thinking - conservative or liberal. More along the lines of bias towards Brittney Spears instead of world crises. It is a little dated but I'm pretty sure the information is still valid.HT: Through Twitter... the producer of the video is Public Radio International.

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-24155958736895828282008-08-01T09:35:00.002-04:002008-08-01T09:52:53.212-04:00

July really flew by. Things were pretty busy with summer school in full swing and volunteering with a youth enrichment program in the afternoon. I recently gave a pretty lengthy update so I don't have much else to say about July! I turned 27 this month so I'm officially getting old, or something!If you decide to visit Minneapolis, be sure to let us know and maybe we can hang out, otherwise we

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-74290786775845768742008-08-01T09:34:00.001-04:002008-08-04T09:03:00.388-04:00

There is nothing more important than having a passion that drives you. You probably know that two of my passions are running and Africa (if you didn't know you do now!). I have decided to bring these two passions together to create something exciting and hopefully powerful and life changing. Read on to learn more!A few years ago while lining up for the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon, I noticed a

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-45553281919884594332008-07-28T11:19:00.003-04:002008-07-28T11:22:38.939-04:00

It is hard to believe that I am 27 years old now! Kinda crazy I know. We had a great weekend celebrating my birth and other - more beautiful - aspects of God's creation. I haven't had a lot of time to unpack the thoughts and organize the pictures so I'll start with a glimpse of what I wrote about the trip on my running site:After the run Friday morning we packed the car and headed to the

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-85168037586604629882008-07-25T09:16:00.000-04:002008-07-25T09:16:00.736-04:00

We are preparing for a visit from my in-laws in a few weeks. As part of that process we created a list of things they will want to see while they are here. We'll be going with them to a lot of these things but some they will visit on their own.First of all, they are arriving via the Megabus. Round-trip from Indianapolis to Minneapolis (one pole to the other) their bus tickets are just around

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-55449282905969171672008-07-23T05:23:00.000-04:002008-07-23T05:23:00.798-04:00

So in case you hadn't noticed things have been a little busy for Team Cross. The past two weekends we've been scurrying around the countryside attending weddings and having fun. We were only able to make it to 2 of the 4 weddings and they were back to back weekends. So here is a quick photo update of our most recent adventures:Sadly the journey starts almost 2 weeks ago with 4th of July

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-65082528340458247362008-07-21T03:28:00.000-04:002008-07-21T03:28:00.658-04:00

There hasn't been a lot of good news coming out of Somalia lately as aid groups are contemplating pulling out their staff due to several aid workers being killed. Recently three elders were killed while distributing aid in a refugee camp outside Mogadishu.Here are some stats provided in a recent e-mail from UNICEF's USA Fund:More than 100,000 displaced persons in Afgoye receive safe drinking

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-21220788408200784822008-07-14T12:16:00.002-04:002008-07-14T12:21:19.185-04:00

Week 6 of training is in the bag. Here is a quick recap but be sure to check out the full post.This has been kind of an up and down week physically. Alternating between tired and sluggish and almost euphoric - sometimes in the same day! Keep reading to find out all the details. Another wedding this weekend forced some major changes to occur at the end of the week. There wasn't going to be any

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-75331601089380998342008-07-06T13:23:00.001-04:002008-07-06T13:26:25.256-04:00

Matt Redman's Breathing the BreathWe have nothing to giveThat didn't first come from Your handsWe have nothing to offer YouWhich You did not provideEvery good, perfect gift comes fromYour kind and gracious heartAnd all we do is give back to YouWhat always has been YoursLord, we're breathing the breathThat You gave us to breathTo worship You, to worship YouAnd we're singing these songsWith the

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-76347121082062459932008-07-02T05:33:00.000-04:002008-07-02T08:53:29.991-04:00

Dangerous Faith: Growing in God and Service to the World written by Christian leader Joel Vestal is an excellent recounting of the many ways God is moving around the world in dangerous and tough places.Vestal, director of ServLife International, has pulled stories from his vast experiences overseas and weaved in vital truths from the Word of God. His official bio reads:Joel Vestal has traveled

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-51090830370404068812008-06-30T04:03:00.000-04:002008-06-30T04:03:01.298-04:00

I am planning to run my first marathon this fall. I plan to run the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon on October 5. In honor of my time overseas and my passion for the world to experience Christ's love and the ability to eat three square meals a day I am dedicating this race, journey, and experience to raising support for World Vision's work around the world.I have actually been training now for a

crossn81noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-85955020672180245782008-06-27T05:08:00.000-04:002008-06-27T12:21:31.999-04:00

http://view.break.com/512971 - Watch more free videosHT Beth's Blog

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-57666425658735681752008-06-25T03:33:00.000-04:002008-06-25T10:32:43.460-04:00

The BBC is reporting that the forgotten crisis in Somalia may actually be worse than the crisis in Darfur. Mark Bowden, the UN's humanitarian co-ordinator for the region, says the food crisis is dramatically worsening. Somalia faces a worse situation than Darfur, Mr Bowden says. Contributing to the crisis are fighting between rival militias, successive droughts, sharply rising food prices and a

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-42288945425268421732008-06-23T08:05:00.000-04:002008-06-23T08:47:04.509-04:00

No not the movie, Deliverance. Nor deliverance from evil, but that's close.Deliverance from testing, trial, and temptation. That was the theme of Sunday's sermon.Jeff Cowmeadow of Calvary Church has been going through the book of Matthew, hitting pretty much every verse as he goes along. He has spent several weeks focusing on the Lord's Prayer. He has provided some unique view points

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-86303051478184988112008-06-22T14:43:00.002-04:002008-06-22T14:52:13.169-04:00

This song has a variety of meanings but is a powerful call to let go and let God use you throughout each day to bring His love and mercy.If You can use anything, Lord, You can use me.If You can use anything, Lord, You can use me.Take my hands, Lord and my feet.Touch my heart, Lord, speak through me.If You can use anything, Lord, You can use me.This is actually the chorus to the song Use Me (God

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-7087120707521653302008-06-19T04:20:00.000-04:002008-06-19T04:20:01.750-04:00

We've had many conversations about how much we as Christians should rely on savings accounts, retirement accounts, and similar investment strategies. Here are two perspectives from Purpose for Everyday Living: Finding God in Everyday Life:Day 146 - Keeping Prosperity in PerspectiveIf riches increase, do not set your heart on them. - Pslam 62:10 NKJVIn the demanding world in which we live,

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-83871525637125004082008-06-18T04:14:00.000-04:002008-06-18T10:14:37.907-04:00

I raced again for some unknown reason. Actually I thought it would be a good way to enjoy a group run and support a good cause - cancer research.This was a very-low key race and I got 4th overall. You can read the full review here.Here is a short snippet:The turn around was a water stop and a clown standing in the middle of the road. The guy in front of me took water, so I opted not to -

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-47631918914352372942008-06-17T04:58:00.000-04:002008-06-17T05:01:34.673-04:00

Saturday was the epitome of summer fun!! After my 5K we lounged around for awhile before deciding to bike 7 miles to the Como Zoo, wandering around until closing time and then riding to the Stone Arch Bridge Arts Festival. Sadly the festival was closed but we continued our meandering bike journey and discovered some new islands along the Mississippi River before enjoying Chipotle on Nicollet

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-53886808487366405432008-06-16T04:37:00.000-04:002008-06-16T08:22:53.478-04:00

This past weekend was the Minnesota Bike Festival which had several different cycling competitions throughout the metro-area. One of the major events was a criterium course in downtown Minneapolis. This 4 stage of the festival was aptly called the Minneapolis Downtown Classic. We watched with friends Kristofer and Amy and had a great Friday evening. Here are a few pics from the night - all

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-56581411470052441582008-06-13T09:23:00.001-04:002008-06-13T09:25:56.333-04:00

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-45824786162077196222008-06-11T02:17:00.000-04:002008-06-11T08:53:03.061-04:00

For the full review please visit Team Cross Runs.Here is a short excerpt:One highlight of the meet was that Carrie Tollefson competed in the 1500 trying to get her Olympic "A" standard. Back to my race! I went in with no expectations having done no speed work in a long time and having done a 10-miler the day before. I knew I was going to get lapped several times since my PR is 18 and change. But

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-91098533151851999032008-06-08T03:45:00.000-04:002008-06-08T22:57:59.882-04:00

Congratulations to Barack Obama for finally clinching the Democratic primary. Let the fun of the general election cycle begin!! I'm sure this fall's Olympics will provide a needed respite from the political talk.Throughout the primary season it has been interesting to watch Obama electrify crowds and become the first black presidential candidate. Throughout the last six months I've had

crossn81noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-46229527827821510512008-06-04T22:55:00.003-04:002008-12-10T22:38:36.949-05:00

This is a funny forward that I haven't seen yet so I cleaned it up and made it postable!THE RULES OF RURAL OHIO ARE AS FOLLOWSListen up City Slickers!Pull your droopy pants up. You look like an idiot.Turn your cap right, your head isn't crooked.Let's get this straight; it's called a 'dirt road.' I drive a pickup truck because I want to. No matter how slow you drive, you're going to get dust on

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-5034966391718568612008-06-04T01:10:00.003-04:002008-06-05T22:15:18.919-04:00

I am finally sitting down to write a much overdue update about our life in Minneapolis! I guess the absence of an update means we have been busy but that isn't a really good excuse. I can't really use the weather either since it just now getting consistently gorgeous outside. Today it is currently 80 with lots of bright sunshine!It is hard to know where to begin to try and cover about 5 months

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-22736282867389165242008-06-02T08:49:00.000-04:002008-06-02T08:49:01.078-04:00

We had the opportunity to travel back to Ohio and Indiana over Memorial Day weekend to see our families and celebrate as one of my sister's graduated from high school. We also celebrated with my cousin who graduated valedictorian from the same class! It was a fun filled weekend that wasn't long enough to really enjoy lots of time with our families or any friends. Here are a few random pictures

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-48896860087250856962008-05-30T09:55:00.000-04:002008-05-30T18:24:35.183-04:00

A Minneapolis school used grant money to purchase exercise balls for the entire classroom to use. Used both as a desk chair and form of exercise they have become a critical part of the daily routine.During my visit, several students told me that sitting on the balls while they work helps them concentrate. During the recent Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA) exams, students begged Hartman

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-9894557716545384472008-05-28T18:20:00.002-04:002008-05-28T18:23:14.764-04:00

The Genocide Intervention Network released this video today featuring all 3 Presidential Candidates talking about the horrible, continuing genocide in Darfur.It is a pretty short video, but it makes a great statement about the need to change our policy towards Darfur.Go here http://www.askthecandidates.org/ to take action!

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-63248767645414335232008-05-20T18:18:00.000-04:002008-05-20T18:18:00.846-04:00

I started writing about this adventure awhile back but got really busy and didn't get a chance to finish it, so hopefully I will now!We spent sometime getting the camera working again before heading off to Maple Island which was actually mostly underwater. I'm not really sure if there was much to see there but there was the bridge and lots of water!We then drove back out to Big Eddy which was

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-51341303717053367092008-05-19T14:52:00.001-04:002008-05-19T19:17:22.442-04:00

I finally gave in to the idea of Twittering. We'll see what happens!You can follow my tweets here or signup for the RSS here.Not sure why you should get Twitter, this article convinced me.My tweets are also available on the sidebar of both blogs and in my Facebook account. This is just one more social networking piece so we'll see how long it lasts or if I get addicted!Update: I'm addicted.

crossn81noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-67658196519992525052008-05-16T10:21:00.000-04:002008-05-16T10:21:01.202-04:00

As Bike to Work week draws to a close I found two newspaper articles quite intriguing.The first comes from the Star Tribune which says that Minneapolis is ranked second in the nation for the number of bike commuters. While the other comes from the Indy Star which says that Indianapolis is ranked second from last in bike commuters! Quite the contrast.Part of the reason is that Indy just doesn't

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-38062416775414517892008-05-14T14:39:00.000-04:002008-05-15T18:57:28.852-04:00

I had the pleasure of racing in a urban mile road race in downtown Minneapolis this past week. It was fabulous. I only missed a $10,000 prize by 1:27!!Check it out at Team Cross Runs.An excerpt:Thursday was a beautiful day but as it got closer to evening it looked like it might rain and the temperatures dropped. Walking from the car to packet pickup I was chilly in my t-shirt and shorts but

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-61876738224403281652008-05-12T12:58:00.000-04:002008-05-12T12:58:00.443-04:00

I always knew Rent-to-Own places were too good to be true and scams. Sadly they take advantage of poor people more than anyone else. There are probably lots of reasons why those living in poverty are more susceptible to these scams than others, but I think at one point or another we are all desperate enough to try and do anything to feel pride in ourselves and our material goods.Take all of the

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-46536441257431740752008-05-11T10:28:00.002-04:002008-05-11T10:36:58.171-04:00

Hungry, I come to you for I know You satisfy.I am empty, but I know Your love does not run dry.And so I wait for You, so I wait for You.Chorus:I'm falling on my knees.Offering all of me.Jesus, You're all this heart is living for.Broken, I run to You for Your arms are open wide.I am weary, but I know Your touch restores my life.And so I wait for You, so I wait for You.Hungry, Kathryn Scott,

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-26069195123435342832008-05-08T09:39:00.004-04:002008-12-10T22:38:37.176-05:00

This past weekend we went camping again. We had planned on going for about two weeks but the weather looked daunting. It was pouring in the Twin Cities and was supposed to rain throughout the night and a chance of snow Saturday morning. Not the best forecast for camping - but we have cold weather gear. After much deliberating we decided to flip a coin, eventually the coin told us to go

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-76690385570189250912008-05-06T06:18:00.000-04:002008-05-06T09:05:01.352-04:00

I liked this the other day when I saw it:I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please. Not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep, but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk or a snooze in the sunshine. I don’t want enough of him to make me love a black man or pick beets with a migrant. I want ecstasy, not transformation. I want the warmth of the womb not a new birth. I want about a

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-72777192049230022142008-05-02T15:46:00.003-04:002008-05-02T15:55:35.510-04:00

It is hard to believe that it is already May. Where has the time gone?? We are certainly enjoying Minneapolis, despite the snow! Things have been very busy and here are the highlights from April.I ran two races on back-to-back weekends despite Coach's advice to take 2 weeks off! First was the Earth Day Half-Marathon and then the Get in Gear 10K.I talked several times about my new favorite

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-1140916733755959162008-04-30T08:37:00.000-04:002008-04-30T09:40:18.208-04:00

When you start talking about social justice and advocating for the poor as a Christian some may wonder where you are at spiritually. When we moved to Minneapolis we were looking for a church community that was focused on creating change in the community and serving the "least of these." We found some places that were doing excellent work but we felt that they were also taking away the importance

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-54069998038611686292008-04-29T10:27:00.001-04:002008-04-29T08:25:55.675-04:00

I broke Coach's advice and ran a little bit during my "2 weeks off". Its bound to happen especially when you are part of a team that has races scheduled! It was a good race despite the bad weather! You'll have to go over to Team Cross Runs to read the full report, but here is an excerpt:This race is billed as the annual rite into the spring racing season. Well it definitely wasn’t spring out

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-32744881233159331762008-04-28T10:55:00.000-04:002008-04-28T08:21:43.470-04:00

Somalia, the country made famous in America in 1996 because of the movie Black Hawk Down is still roiled by intense fighting. Is there anything the US could do to help end the violence that continues to displace families? A recent report by Refugees International thinks so. OneWorld reports that (emphasis mine)there is "a staggering scale of need" for the displaced people, as malnutrition rates

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-41170361251315800152008-04-23T03:21:00.000-04:002008-04-23T08:58:03.421-04:00

Whether you believe global warming is our biggest issue or a government hoax I think we should all agree that it is a good idea to try and make our life a little more enjoyable by reducing some of the carbon in the atmosphere.I think some of the liberal elites and more radical conservationists would have us believe that costs a lot of money. That doesn't always have to be the case. It can be as

crossn81noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-59854707822136705212008-04-22T09:17:00.002-04:002008-04-22T09:21:11.984-04:00

Today actually marks Earth Day, but I ran the race over the weekend in St Cloud, MN. It was a great day for a race, unfortunately my performance didn't quite equal the weather. Here is an excerpt of the full race report:We finally turned off the main road and headed into a sub-division next to the St. Cloud Country Club. There were some little hills up and down along the way. I managed to to run

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-36366246281967379212008-04-21T09:55:00.000-04:002008-04-21T09:29:20.219-04:00

How far are you willing to take that whole, Love thy enemy thing? You are probably praying for lots of people that you know - and maybe some you don't.Are you willing to take the next step and pray for Muslims? A good first step would be doing some research at the Crescent Project or Voice of the Martyrs.Now for the big-one: Adopt a Terrorist for Prayer. This new ministry is still under

crossn81noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-34066056487321031742008-04-17T08:30:00.000-04:002008-04-17T08:34:19.070-04:00

Play this game (a little cheesy) of driving a dirt bike around Africa delivering Malaria Nets to individuals in need.Malaria is one of several curable/preventable deadly diseases that is ravaging Africa. Nothing but Nets has this to say about the disease:Malaria, from the Medieval Italian words mala aria or “bad air,” infects more than 500 million people a year and kills more than a million— one

crossn81noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-49457085833063970362008-04-15T17:45:00.001-04:002008-04-15T18:22:01.302-04:00

This is the last post about our camping trip! As Saturday night came to a close we were enjoying a nice campfire, complete with s'mores and ho-bo pies. All of a sudden we started to get pelted by hail, sleet, rain, or snow... we quickly cleaned up the remainders of the evening and put everything away before heading up to the welcome center to get ready for bed.There we met the evening janitor

crossn81noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-90739192403317252892008-04-15T05:08:00.000-04:002008-04-15T08:51:33.143-04:00

This is the final part of beautiful Saturday!We drove into Two Harbors to get some supplies and check out their lighthouses.Wasn't really a lot to see but there were 2 ships in port loading or unloading stuff and the top photos are all from that area. The lighthouse on the top right is also a B&B.The other pictures are from Split Rock Lighthouse State Park(note the 2 different links). Sadly the

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-49461991422731145712008-04-14T16:58:00.000-04:002008-04-14T18:06:06.700-04:00

This third collage of pictures is from our lunch at Lake Superior. This is actually part of the beach at the State Park, where pictures from part 1 were taken! This wasn't too fancy of a lunch since we had carried it in our packs all morning. It was still some good food though and we had fun warming ourselves on the rocks. It is amazing the temperature difference from being in the woods to

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-76840574681105450062008-04-14T08:12:00.000-04:002008-04-13T21:47:38.409-04:00

I took about 150 pictures during our weekend trip to Gooseberry Falls! So the series of posts is just a selection of the best, I turned them into collages to take up less bandwidth and stuff. It was so hard to decide on pictures and I got a little carried away with this one! These are pictures of our hike up the Gooseberry River to see several of the falls. This one is going to be a little harder

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-39022872630348958512008-04-13T11:10:00.001-04:002008-04-13T13:16:04.913-04:00

On the first weekend of April we thought we could pull off a camping trip with good friends Amy and Kristofer. We packed up the bags and car and took off North! We drove a couple hours ending at Gooseberry Falls, just north of Duluth, right on Lake Superior. We knew it would be tent camping with no water. We ended up being the only campers for the weekend.The next several posts will highlight

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-48356752178993139832008-04-10T11:16:00.001-04:002008-04-09T23:19:53.907-04:00

Sorry for the all caps - that is how it was written. I think someone forgot to tell the weather that it is spring now!URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGENATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN956 PM CDT WED APR 9 2008...HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG WINDS LIKELY ACROSS PARTS OF THE REGIONTHURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT....A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR A PORTION OFCENTRAL

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-91737806665024813362008-04-09T02:14:00.000-04:002008-04-08T22:30:59.763-04:00

A Long Way Gone is a tragic story about a child who was forced to kill or be killed during the conflict in Sierra Leone. Fortunately, this story does have a happier ending than most.I don't think this will spoil the ending, but Ishmael Beah, the author and main character of the story survived the war and was able to flee to the United States. It wasn't an easy journey but you will experience it

crossn81noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-45251720520104402952008-04-07T09:06:00.000-04:002008-12-10T22:38:37.880-05:00

Due to some great last minute opportunities I was able to go to a friend's wedding in Alabama during my spring break (gotta love working in a school)!!!It was a great time of catching up with old college friends and hanging out for the weekend. Thanks Eugene! I had excellent travel and got to experience some new modes of transportation!For some reason I decided not to use my digital camera and

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-21528900879761268552008-04-04T10:37:00.000-04:002008-04-04T08:55:28.792-04:00

Almost two years after a tragic accident killed 4 students and a Taylor staff member, a book has been released by the families involved in the case of mistaken identity that followed.I actually never went back and updated my original posting with the correct information. One of the students was misidentified and her family and friends mourned her - until she came out of her coma and started

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-4537608495239912572008-04-02T10:11:00.000-04:002008-04-02T21:50:58.583-04:00

There is an excellent article about "Sharing your Faith" using Facebook over at Digital Sanctuary.Cynthia provides 10, fairly easy, steps. Here is part of the introduction:Facebook is a perfect example of an easy, free way to connect with others and share your faith. If you think it's costly in terms of time, you're mistaken. It's an investment. In fact, using online communication is the

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-67914659680073275182008-04-01T15:52:00.003-04:002008-04-01T15:55:30.849-04:00

This is a skit performed at The Bridge, our former church in Anderson before we moved. It is pretty powerful. Even if it is a bit hard to see all of what is going on I think you get the message that Jesus can save us from anything.

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-1847704652005805352008-03-27T22:17:00.002-04:002008-12-10T22:38:38.504-05:00

Time for a little humor.On our recent trip to Indiana and Ohio we got to see some gas prices that were a little nasty. But we did our part to help end the recession and spent lots of money on gas. Luckily, we split it with our friends so that made it a little more bearable.My mom recently sent me an e-mail with quite a few little cartoons about the gas prices. I've narrowed it down to 3:

crossn81noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-1683331669909608922008-03-26T21:27:00.000-04:002008-03-26T21:44:06.020-04:00

Are you investing in Genocide? Does your 401(k), IRA, or other investment vehicle provide money that is killing men, women, and children? Would you knowingly donate to a terrorist organization? I didn't think so, but you might be doing the same thing with your investments. Find out more from the Investors Against Genocide. There is a lot of recent news coverage due to a shareholder meeting

crossn81noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-55543014319351898652008-03-24T08:44:00.000-04:002008-03-24T22:26:40.819-04:00

Some of the rooms are a little dark. This was taken on my digital camera since we don't have a real video camera!Enjoy!

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-81686750418484770902008-03-20T07:15:00.000-04:002008-03-20T09:44:05.137-04:00

What is your most important relationship? Your spouse, children, God, friends, or other family??Barna's recent survey suggests that opinions vary across the spectrum of people.Seven out of ten adults mentioned family or family members as their most significant connection.God, Jesus Christ, Allah, and the Trinity were among the names listed by one out of every five adults (19%).2% of adults said a

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-40016653207718659292008-03-19T07:27:00.000-04:002008-03-19T09:04:50.149-04:00

I recently completed my first road race since moving to Minnesota. You can read a fully recap here.But the short summary is this:After some frustrating days running this past week I was excited and nervous to see how I would race. I was quite pleased with my first race in Minnesota. I ran the Human Race 8K at 1:20pm in 40 degree weather. I must report that I am very excited about my time! My

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-67766932172936967962008-03-17T12:01:00.000-04:002008-03-17T22:55:24.493-04:00

What do these numbers say about the state of the church? All from this Christianity Today article.$633,314 Contributions given so far (February) by clergy to 2008 presidential candidates.56% Percentage that has gone to Democrats.52% Percentage of the $1,149,326 given by clergy in 2004 that was given to Republicans.(Source: OpenSecrets.org)42.5% American congregations that spend less than

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-7203791807709158052008-03-17T07:52:00.000-04:002008-03-17T08:40:28.735-04:00

In the midst of Lent and now Holy Week I found this Scripture to be very fitting and thought provoking. It is Ephesian 1:4-14 from The Message. (emphasis added)Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-20003103121224296152008-03-14T11:18:00.003-04:002008-03-14T12:25:09.373-04:00

With my new found fondness for Somalia I have taken a greater interest in the oft-forgotten country.Why the new Fondness?I have always had a fondness for Africa, so that part isn't new. Somali hasn't been on the radar much but now is mostly due to the fact that we are now living in the metro area with the highest concentration of Somali Refugees in the United States. Also in part because I am

crossn81noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-5553161613352716792008-03-13T05:13:00.000-04:002008-03-13T08:58:14.793-04:00

Chillicothe, Ohio is my hometown - almost. It is the county seat and my house is 15 minutes from downtown Chilli-bobo as we fondly called it!There isn't a whole lot there although it has grown up, mostly after I left and now has quite the shopping district full of strip malls and restaurants! It is always a little exciting to have your hometown mentioned in major news magazines, although it

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-24002104645275917112008-03-11T07:03:00.000-04:002008-03-11T09:08:39.601-04:00

Check 2 more things off the list of Minnesotan things to do for Team Cross.This weekend we went snowshoeing and drove our car on a lake.We went to the Hyland Park Preserve to learn about Maple Syruping, but since it was a ton of little kiddos we decided to slip out and rent some snowshoes. We took them out for about an hour and a half and explored some trails and lakes! Below is a picture from

crossn81noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-73146985728331512312008-03-10T06:52:00.000-04:002008-03-10T09:41:37.940-04:00

I thought this was great when I found it -In 2003, a couple of major things happened. 50 Cent blew up and G-Unit took over the music industry, Jay-Z “retired,” and Eminem won an Oscar. It was a big year for Hip Hop. These things we remember vividly, as they were the subject of endless media fanfare (seriously, how many articles did you read about Hova claiming he was done with the rap game?).

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-4572928263397391132008-03-05T14:46:00.000-05:002008-03-05T22:25:20.864-05:00

After several weeks of good news and progress related to Sudan, the New York Times reported on Sunday that the scorched-earth policy which initially led to the US declaring the violence a genocide has returned.The attacks by the janjaweed, the fearsome Arab militias that came three weeks ago, accompanied by government bombers and followed by the Sudanese Army, were a return to the tactics that

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-68548621491311476062008-03-03T22:55:00.001-05:002008-03-03T22:56:07.531-05:00

I apologize for the 2 Spam posts, I'm not sure what happened this evening that caused them to be posted. I sincerely regret that it happened. Please know that that is not something I would allow.Thanks for your patience.

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-13346621587481908172008-03-03T07:59:00.000-05:002008-03-03T09:36:32.339-05:00

We are Minnesotans! We were kind of in a weird spot since our Indiana license plates expired on March 15, we had to do something to get them renewed. Also, there is some obscure law about if you live in Minnesota for longer than 60 days you have to get a Minnesota driver's license. So we spent the afternoon on Thursday at the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Division of Motor Vehicles.

crossn81noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26342787.post-55203143042063032162008-02-26T04:45:00.000-05:002008-02-26T18:01:18.114-05:00

The pressure is working!! Let's keep it up.From the New York Times:China has begun shifting its position on Darfur, stepping outside its diplomatic comfort zone to quietly push Sudan to accept the world’s largest peacekeeping force, diplomats and analysts say. It has also acted publicly, sending engineers to help peacekeepers in Darfur and appointing a special envoy to the region who has toured

crossn81noreply@blogger.com1